Monday, July 6 was another massive day at the World Cup, with two huge round of 16 games on the agenda.
First, Spain eliminated Portugal with a 1-0 win in Dallas in what might be Cristiano Ronaldo’s final World Cup game.
Later, Belgium defeated the United States 4-1 in Seattle as America’s World Cup dream ended in a nightmare.
Belgium and Spain will square off in the quarterfinals in Inglewood, California, on Friday, July 10.
Meet Team USA 2026: Get to know the U.S. men’s national team
Today’s results:
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Belgium‘s got jokes!
The Red Devils clapped back on social media at the United States after winning the World Cup round of 16 match 4-1 on Monday, July 6 at Lumen Field in Seattle.
The USMNT turned into political football. All the goodwill they had built up the last month was overcome by the stench of Donald Trump’s dirty dealing.
This was no longer a debate about the rightness or wrongness of Folarin Balogun’s suspension being lifted. This was an existential conflict for many fans, who’d fallen hard for the USMNT in part because they saw the team as wholesome and a reflection of the country it represented, only to have it co-opted by Trump.
SEATTLE — The U.S. men’s national team saw its World Cup dreams evaporate on Monday, falling 4-1 to Belgium in the round of 16 at Lumen Field in Seattle.
It was a flat and uninspired performance for the USMNT, which had been outstanding for much of the World Cup on home soil.
All three 2026 World Cup host nations were eliminated in the round of 16.
It’s gone from bad to worse for the USMNT against Belgium.
Christian Pulisic kicked the foot of Belgium’s Youri Tielemans in the 54th minute and was slow to get up.
He limped through play for a few minutes, but had to be subbed off in the 59th minute, two minutes after Belgium’s third goal.
Sebastian Berhalter is on the field as Pulisic’s replacement with the USA down two goals.
Belgium’s Hans Vanaken took advantage of an absolutely mix-up in the back as goalkeeper Matt Freese got stuck outside the 18-yard box and an attempted clearance resulted in a turnover that caused the score.
Belgium now leads 3-1.
The U.S. struggled in the first half and coach Mauricio Pochettino is mixing it up, dropping Sergiño Dest in favor of Gio Reyna, who scored a goal in the USA’s World Cup-opening win over Paraguay.
Crazy 60-or-so seconds in the USA-Belgium round of 16 match.
After a Malik Tillman free-kick goal — his second such goal in the World Cup knockout rounds — tied the score at 1-1 in the 31st minute, Belgium quickly regained the lead in the 33rd minute on a goal off a head from Charles De Ketelaere.
It is the second goal of the match for De Ketelaere, who the USMNT might want to consider marking.
U.S. coach Mauricio Pochettino was not pleased.
SEATTLE — Belgium has struck against the United States in the round of 16.
Belgium’s goal came in the ninth minute as it was pressing on the U.S. defense. Nicolas Raskin controlled the ball into the penalty box and got it deep enough and found Charles De Ketelaere, who had a wide open shot to the net for an easy score.
➤ Why does USA play ‘Country Roads’ at World Cup?
SEATTLE — The United States men’s national team is on the cusp on one of its deepest runs in its World Cup history.
Besides continuing the dream of World Cup glory on American grass, there is also plenty of history at stake for the U.S. Like it did in the round of 32, the U.S. is trying to do something it hasn’t done in 24 years.
SEATTLE — The U.S. men’s national team was planning to be without its top striker Folarin Balogun for Monday’s World Cup round of 16 matchup with Belgium until, all of a sudden, those plans changed.
Pochettino will slot Balogun directly back into his lineup to face the Red Devils in one of the biggest games in USMNT history.
SEATTLE — The FIFA Disciplinary Committee explained its decision to allow United States star Folarin Balogun to play in the World Cup round of 16 despite earning a red card that would have resulted in a suspension, determining it did not bend rules over the controversy while noting the striker will have to pay a fine.
The explanation came less than four hours before USMNT and Belgium are set to play for a spot in the quarterfinals.
Spain is on to the quarterfinals after a 1-0 win over Cristiano Ronaldo and Portugal.
Spain took a 1-0 lead just before stoppage time on a a Mikel Merino goal, putting Portugal star Cristiano Ronaldo’s World Cup hopes on the ropes.
When Mauricio Pochettino took over the U.S. men’s national team, he did not like what he found.
Too many players, he later said, had grown comfortable. For a coach raised in Argentina, where the national team is treated like a national treasure, that was shocking. So Pochettino tore the thing down and started sorting.
So, who was this outsider coming in to tear down the U.S. team?
Both teams have created opportunities, but the goalies have been up to the task so far, with Portugal and Spain knotted 0-0 after 51 minutes of play.
Fans watching Portugal’s hard-fought 2-1 victory over Croatia in the World Cup round of 32 saw an emotional group of players on the winning sideline.
But the team advancing to face Spain on Monday was only part of the reason for the heartfelt reaction.
The victory came on the eve of the one-year anniversary of Portuguese striker Diogo Jota’s tragic death in a car crash on July 3, 2025, at the age of 28.
Jota made 49 international appearances for Portugal, twice winning the UEFA Nations League. His last appearance for Portugal came just a month before his death, helping his country beat Spain in the Nations League final.
There is a phrase that will echo around Mexico today, the day after the national team’s elimination from the 2026 World Cup in a round of 16 thriller against England.
“Jugaron como nunca, perdieron como siempre.” Mexico’s players “played like never before but lost like always.” The phrase is attributed to the great Alfredo Di Stéfano, but it is heard somewhat often in Mexico. After all the 3-2 loss to the Three Lions marked the eighth time in the last nine World Cup tournaments that El Tri lost in the round of 16.
France star Kylian Mbappe has called Paraguayan senator Celeste Amarilla a “despicable woman” following her racist remarks in the aftermath of France’s World Cup win over Paraguay.
France defeated Paraguay 1-0 in the round of 16 on Saturday, July 4 as Mbappe scored the game’s only goal from the penalty spot.
Spain is already pouring on the pressure against Iberian rival Portugal, but so far Portugal goalkeeper Diogo Costa has been up to the task. Check our this pair of stellar saves from the early going:
“All I did, I asked for a review because I didn’t think it was a foul,” Trump told reporters on July 6 in the Oval Office, confirming that he “spoke to Gianni” about the matter last week.
“I saw the play, and I’m a person that loves sports and who was a good athlete. I understand sports really well. And that wasn’t a foul. That wasn’t even an infraction. That was two guys running full speed that happened to crash into each other,” the president said.
— Joey Garrison
Asked by a reporter if captain Harry Kane should get Trump to intervene on England’s behalf, Tuchel smiled and joked that it would be a “good starting point.”
After the game, Kane was seen on the FOX broadcast struggling to get words out when asked questions during the postgame interview.
Trump was quick to glom onto FIFA’s decision allowing Folarin Balogun to play in USA’s World Cup round of 16 game against Belgium. The same Balogun who shouldn’t even be a U.S. citizen, according to Trump and his minions, columnist Nancy Armour writes.
The England midfielder will reportedly miss the remainder of the World Cup with a wrist injury. Read more here.
According to BetMGM, the United States is slightly favored to beat Belgium in their round of 16 match as of 2 p.m. ET on Monday.
Odds to win in regulation
- USA +140
- Belgium +185
- Tie +230
- Goalkeeper: Unai Simón
- Defenders: Pedro Porre, Aymeric Laporte, Pau Cubarsi, Marc Cucurella
- Midfielders: Alex Baena, Rodri (C), Pedri
- Attack: Dani Olmo, Lamine Yamal, Mikel Oyarzabal
- Goalkeeper: Diogo Costa
- Midfielders: Ruben Dias, Renato Veiga, Joao Cancelo, Nuno Mendes
- Midfielders: Bruno Fernandes, Joao Neves, Vitinha
- Attack: Cristiano Ronaldo (C), Joao Felix, Pedro Neto
Projections as of Sunday, July 5 at 11:15 p.m. ET. Teams in bold are confirmed to be in that slot in the bracket.
- France vs. Morocco (Thursday, July 9 at 4 p.m. ET at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts)
- Winner of Portugal/Spain vs. Winner of USA/Belgium (Friday, July 10 at 3 p.m. ET at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California)
- Norway vs. England (Saturday, July 11 at 5 p.m. ET at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida)
- Winner of Argentina/Egypt vs. Winner of Switzerland/Colombia (Saturday, July 11 at 9 p.m. ET at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri)
— John Leuzzi
- Goalkeeper: Unai Simón
- Defenders: Marcos Llorente, Pau Cubarsí, Aymeric Laporte, Marc Cucurella
- Midfielders: Mikel Merino, Rodri, Pedri
- Attack: Lamine Yamal, Mikel Oyarzabal, Álex Baena
— Nick Brinkerhoff
- Goalkeeper: Diogo Costa
- Defenders: João Cancelo, Rúben Dias, Renato Veiga, Nuno Mendes
- Midfielders: Rúben Neves, Vitinha, Bruno Fernandes
- Attack: Pedro Neto, João Félix, Cristiano Ronaldo
— Nick Brinkerhoff
- Seth Vertelney: Norway 2-1 England
- Jon Arnold: England 2-1 Norway
- John Leuzzi: Norway 2-0 England
- Nancy Armour: England 2-2 Norway (England wins on PKs)
- Jesse Yomtov: England 2-1 Norway
- Jim Reineking: Norway 2-1 England
It’s hard to pick against Thomas Tuchel’s team coming off the heroic win at the Azteca, even if it means 90 minutes of Erling Haaland in Miami. — Jesse Yomtov
Follow along with our complete live updates for Spain vs. Portugal here.
- Seth Vertelney: Portugal 0-2 Spain
- Jon Arnold: Portugal 0-3 Spain
- Jesse Yomtov: Portugal 0 – 1 Spain
- Victoria Hernandez: Portugal 1 – 3 Spain
The Spain machine keeps powering up as it starts to look like the team many thought we’d see before the tournament. It’s payback for that Ronaldo hat trick back in Russia. — Jon Arnold
With mere hours until its round of 16 World Cup match is scheduled to start, Belgium has been granted the right to appeal FIFA’s reversal of U.S. striker Folarin Balogun’s one-game suspension.
However, the Belgian soccer federation says FIFA is deliberately creating red tape so that any appeal “would be declared inadmissable.”
The Athletic first reported the Belgian federation and U.S. Soccer were both asked to submit arguments to the FIFA appeals committee by 8 a.m. ET on Monday, July 6. A ruling is possible before the game is set to kick off at 8 p.m. ET, but Belgium hasn’t received any guarantees that it will.
Balogun received a red card in the USA’s win over Bosnia and Herzegovina, but had his suspension for the match against Belgium reversed on Sunday after President Donald Trump personally asked FIFA president Gianni Infantino to reconsider. — Steve Gardner
WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump defended his decision to ask FIFA President Gianni Infantino to review the controversial red card issued to U.S. Men’s National Soccer Team forward Folarin Balogun in the World Cup, calling the penalty “unfair” and” “horrible.”
“All I did, I asked for a review because I didn’t think it was a foul,” Trump told reporters on July 6 in the Oval Office.
Trump confirmed that he called Infantino, who has built a close relationship with Trump, to review the penalty and Balogun’s suspension.
“I saw the play, and I’m a person who loves sports and was a good athlete,” Trump said. “That wasn’t a foul. That wasn’t even an infraction.” — Joey Garrison
The Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) is unhappy with FIFA’s decision to lift Folarin Balogun’s red card ban ahead of the United States’ round of 16 matchup against Belgium at the World Cup, claiming the organization “crossed a red line.”
“When the certainty of rules is no longer guaranteed by its guardians, the integrity of the game is at stake and the credibility of a competition is undermined,” said UEFA in a statement Monday. “We express our disbelief at such an unprecedented, incomprehensible and unjustifiable decision.”
FIFA cleared the American striker after President Donald Trump urged FIFA President Gianni Infantino to look over Balogun’s red card case. And the decision has been ridiculed by some prominent figures in the sport. — Jon Hoefling
We are now halfway through a thrilling World Cup round of 16. By Tuesday night, just eight teams will be left in the tournament.
How do the remaining 12 teams stack up? Check out our rankings right here.
England midfielder Jordan Henderson sustain an injury during postgame celebrations and was stretchered off after his team’s 3-2 win over Mexico in the World Cup round of 16.
England manager Thomas Tuchel confirmed after the game that Henderson had hurt his wrist.
“He’s gone to hospital, it’s quite a serious injury,” Tuchel told reporters. “It doesn’t fit with the night. I don’t know if there will be a procedure.”
Read the full story HERE.
Watch all 2026 World Cup games on Fox and FS1. Spanish language broadcasts are available on Telemundo and Peacock.
Watch every World Cup game with Fubo
Round of 16
- July 4: France def. Paraguay – Philadelphia
- July 4: Morocco def. Canada – Houston
- July 5: Norway def. Brazil – East Rutherford
- July 5: England def. Mexico – Mexico City
- July 6: Portugal vs. Spain – Arlington
- July 6: USA vs. Belgium – Seattle
- July 7: Argentina vs. Egypt – Atlanta – shop tickets
- July 7: Switzerland vs. Colombia – Vancouver – shop tickets
Quarterfinals
- July 9: France vs. Morocco – Foxborough
- July 10: Spain vs. USA/BEL – Inglewood
- July 11: Norway vs. England – Miami
- July 11: ARG/EGY vs. SWI/COL – Kansas City
Semifinals
- July 14: Foxborough/Inglewood winners – Arlington
- July 15: Miami/Kansas City winners – Atlanta
Final
- July 19 at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey
The 2026 World Cup is the largest ever, and USA TODAY is going all in with reporters on the ground in all 16 host cities across three countries to cover 48 teams vying for the trophy. Get our World Cup: Extra Time newsletter in your inbox every morning and join our WhatsApp channel to get the latest updates right in your texts.
